Pressure sensitive adhesive tape applicator

ABSTRACT

A PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR WHICH PERMITS ACCURATE TAPE APPLICATION TO A SURFACE ADJACENT A SURFACE TO BE PAINTED OR OTHERWISE TREATED. THE APPLICATOR INCLUDES A FRAME MEMBER AND A PAIR OF AXLES UPON WHICH ARE ROTATABLY MOUNTED A ROLL OF TAPE AND A GUIDE ROLLER FOR APPLYING THE TAPE TO THE SURFACE TO BE TAPED. THE FRAME MEMBER IS ATTACHED TO SAID AXLES ON ONE SIDE LEAVING THE OTHER SIDE UNOBSTRUCTED SO THAT THE TAPE MAY BE APPLIED CLOSE TO THE INCLINE OF THE SURFACE. A FRAME HANDLE IS ATTACHED TO SAID FRAME INTERMEDIATE SAID AXLES TO ROLL SAID TAPE ONTO SAID SURFACE AS ITA IS PLAYED OUT FROM SAID TAPE ROLL.

s. w. HINDS 3,600,255

PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR Aug. 17, 1971 Filed April 26, 1968 INVENTOR. SCHUBEET n. Ill/V05 47TOE/VEX otted States Patent @fice 3,600,255 Patented Aug. 17, 1971 3,600,255 PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR Schubert W. Hinds, 601 Lovell Place, Fullerton, Calif. 92632 Filed Apr. 26, 1968, Ser. No. 724,511 Int. Cl. B3211 31/18, 31/20 US. Cl. 156-527 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape applicator which permits accurate tape application to a surface adjacent a surface to be painted or otherwise treated. The applicator includes a frame member and a pair of axles upon which are rotatably mounted a roll of tape and a guide roller for applying the tape to the surface to be taped. The frame member is attached to said axles on one side leaving the other side unobstructed so that the tape may be applied close to the incline of the surface. A frame handle is attached to said frame intermediate said axles to roll said tape onto said surface as it is played out from said tape roll.

This invention relates to a tape applicator, and more particularly relates to a device for applying pressuresensitive adhesive tape or the like from a roll of said tape to a surface to be covered with said tape.

It has been the practice of painters to cover surfaces to remain unpainted with masking tape. Normally, such tape is obtained in rolls and lengths of tape are removedfrom the roll as needed to apply to a surface to be masked. Various attempts have been made to facilitate and mechanize the tape masking operation. Mechanization is particularly desirable to increase the speed of the masking operation and to permit greater accuracy and precision in covering that area to be masked without overlapping the adjacent area which is to be painted.

In the prior art, tape applicators have been proposed which comprise tape roll engaging mechanisms with a second roll for guiding and pressing the tacky side of the masking tape to the surface to be masked. In such prior art devices, however, the tape roll and the guide roller are mounted on axles which are supported on both ends of the axles, thus enclosing or confining the tape and the rollers. With such devices it is impossible to use interchangeably, wider rolls of tape and wider guide rollers. Some of the prior tape applicator devices are arranged so that the applicator is pulled with the tape roll forward. Such applicators cannot apply tape closely adjacent a vertical wall.

The use of a tape applicator employing a frame which holds the guide roll and the tape roll from both sides necessarily prevents application of the tape flush with either edge of the roll since the applicator frame on either side of the axle, prevents application or placement of the tape edge near the edge of a surface which is adjacent a second surface which is inclined or in a different plane. Thus, for example, prohibiting application of masking tape in against a corner.

It is, therefore, an object of my present invention to provide a pressure sensitive adhesive tape applicator arranged to apply tape from a roll of tape to a surface which is adjacent a second surface in a different plane.

It is also an object of my present invention to provide pressure-sensitive adhesive tape applicator which can be used interchangeably for application of tape of varying widths.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape applicator which accurately applies such tape played out from a tape roll to a surface quickly and accurately.

Other objects and a more complete understanding of my present invention will become apparent from the following specification and the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective Wiew of my tape applicator, shown in the process of applying tape to a surface;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of my present invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, partially in section, of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a section of an outer rim of the roller wheel or the tape roll carrying wheel of my present invention.

Although my present invention is described herein with reference to an embodiment used to apply masking tape, it is to be understood that my present invention is useful for application of other pressure sensitive adhesive tape such as sealing tape, etc. Referring now more particularly to the apparatus shown in FIGS. l-3, the tape applicator 10 comprises a frame member 12 which carries parallel axles 14 and 16 upon which are rotatably mounted a wheel 18 for carrying a roll of masking tape and a wheel 20 which carries a roller guide 22. A strip of tape 24 is played out from the roll 26 so that the tacky side 28 is laid adjacent the surface to which the tape is applied. The non-tacky side 30 contacts the follow-on roller 22 and is rolled around the guide roller 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as the tape applicator 10 is pushed forward with handle 32. As shown in FIG. 1, the roller wheel 20 rotates clockwise about its axle 14 and the tape wheel 18 rotates counterclockwise about its axle 16.

The frame 12 is attached to axles 14 and 16 with the front axle 14 serving as the axle for the roller wheel 20 and the rear axle 16 adapted for rotatably mounting the tape roller wheel 18. The inner hub 34 of the roller wheel 20 receives the axle 14 and is secured thereto with a nut 36 which is threaded to a threaded portion of the axle on its outer end. Similarly, the inner hub 38 of the tape roll wheel 18 is adapated to receive tape roll axle 16 and is secured thereto by nut 40. The tape roll wheel 18 is adapted to frictionally engage the inner surface 42 of the tape roll so that the wheel 18 rolls with the tape roll 26 as the strip of tape 24 is played out around the guide roller 22 and onto the surface to which the masking tape is applied. The frictional engagement between the inner hub surface 42 of the tape roll and the outer surface 19 of wheel 18 may be accomplished in any conventional manner such as a spring press fit which may conveniently be aifected by forming the wheel 18 slightly larger than the inner surface of the tape roll hub 42 but with transversely disposed slots 44 as best shown in FIG. 4, so that the hub 18 of the tape roll wheel may become pressed or forced inwardly to receive the tape roll hub 42.

The handle 32 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may have a pistol grip 46 for convenience and the handle arm 48 is attached to the frame 12 proximate the front roller 22 preferably, to aid in maneuverability of the tape applicator and permits application of pressure to the roller 22 for pressing the tacky side 28 of the tape against the surface to which the masking tape is applied.

Thus the tape applicator of my present invention may be operated by pressing a tape roll 26 onto the tape roll wheel 18 as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, and the strip of tape 24 unrolled from the tape roll and wound with the tacky side out around the roller 22 and touched to the surface to be masked. The tape can be further applied to said surface by merely pushing the applicator forward by the handle 32 with a slight pressure downwardly against the front of the tape applicator to press the tape against the surface with roller 22 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The tape applicator is held so that the tape roll 26 is slightly elevated above the surface to which the masking tape is applied, as the front roll 22 is lowered into position for applying the tape to the surface.

A cutter member 50 may be conveniently attached to the frame 12, as at 52, and has a serrated cutting edge 54 for severing the tape when desired, as when sufiicient tape has been applied.

As may be seen from the drawings, tape roll 26 may be interchanged with a wider tape roll and roller 22 may be removed from the roller wheel 20 and replaced with a wider roller having the same internal diameter and the same width as the interchanged tape roll, to thus permit the outer edge of the roller 22 to be flushed with the outer edge of the tape roll. This design not only permits use of tape of differing widths, but also the flush edges facilitate application of masking tape to a surface, for example, surface 56 shown in FIG. 3, which is adjacent a wall 58 or a second surface which is in a different plane. Thus, the flush edges can permit application of the tape on surfaces 56 immediately adjacent the surface of 58.

In a modification of my present invention, roller wheels of various shapes, e.g. rounded or V shaped, may be used interchangeably with roller wheel 20 to permit application of tape to surfaces corresponding to the shape of the particular roller.

Although my present invention has been described herein with respect to a preferred embodiment, with a certain degree of particularity, the scope of my invention should not be limited to the details herein set forth but should be afforded the full breadth of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tape applicator for applying from a roll pressure sensitive adhesive tape having a tacky adhesive side and a non-adhesive side, comprising in combination: a frame member having supported thereon front and rear spaced apart parallel axles;

a first wheel rotatable on said rear axle and adapted to carry said tape roll in frictional engagement therewith;

a second wheel rotatable on said front axle for guiding tape paid out from said roll onto a first surface and pressing against said non-adhesive side to stick said adhesive side to said first surface; said frame member being arranged and attached to only one end of said axles to support said wheels on one side only leaving the other side of said wheels unobstructed so that said tape can be applied to said first surface by said second wheel flush with a second surface which is in a different plane, and which extends upwardly from said first surface,

said frame member having a handle attached to said frame between said axles and disposed parallel to the direction of tape application to said surface for guiding said applicator on said first surface and pressing said second roller against said tape applied to said first surface which is arranged and constructed with respect to said axles and said wheels to apply said tape to said first surface by moving said applicator with said second wheel forward of said first wheel with said tape paid out from said roll on said first wheel extending around said second wheel and onto said first surface as said applicator is advanced and means attached to said frame for transversely severing said tape paid out from said tape roll at a point intermediate said tape roll and the point at which said tape contacts the surface to which it is applied.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said handle is attached to said frame proximate said front axle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,364,096 1/1968 Hetes 156-577 2,927,710 3/1960 Raber 156577X 2,999,609 9/1961 Thompson 156-527 3,325,336 6/1967 Gibson 156577 FOREIGN PATENTS 533,505 2/1941 Great Britain 156527 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner J. M. HANLEY, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 156577 

